Fieldstone Orchard & Pear Honey Jam

Two weeks ago Erik and I took an hour’s drive southwest to Overbrook, Kansas, to check out Fieldstone Orchard, an organic u-pick farm.

We packed a lunch and found a peaceful, secluded area by one of the ponds to eat before the picking ensued.

In addition to the loads of apples we brought home (including varieties I had never heard of, such as Staybrites and Maiden’s Blushes), we also managed to pluck a good share of Asian pears before their season was up. I’m still working my way through slicing, chopping and freezing the bounty.

Eating fruit freshly picked from the tree? Heavenly!

At Fieldstone, they grow fruits and vegetables all year long, although they are closed for picking during the winter season (if you are interested in their winter greens, you can call them to arrange for pickup or to get details for delivery). We had such a great time, and the folks at the orchard were so friendly. I’m already planning future ventures for next year to pick asparagus, cherries, rhubarb and berries. If you are in the KC area, I’d definitely recommend planning a trip to Fieldstone.

When we got home, I decided to try my hand at bee-free pear honey. I overcooked it, but with fabulous results. Having cooked it beyond the consistency I was hoping for, I instead ended up with thick jam with a flavor that is uniquely reminiscent of honey.

This mistake was a-OK in my book, because if I had to choose, I’d take a versatile, tasty jam over honey any day. Spread it on biscuits or toast, pair it with sliced apples or warm it and pour it over a bowl of vanilla bean [non-dairy] ice cream.

Pulse pears in a food processor or blender until mostly broken down (it's ok if a few small chunks remain).

Add all ingredients to a large pot and bring it to a low boil. Cover and cook, stirring frequently, for approximately 75-90 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached.

Notes & Tips

(1) If the pears aren't breaking down as much as you'd like, just transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse a few times, then return to the pot and continue cooking. (2) This makes about two cups, enough to make one jar that lasts us a long time; but if you want to double or triple (or more) the batch, by all means do so and store the extra in sterilized canning jars.

Oh, I love an afternoon at the orchard! That’s one of my favorite annual fall activities. How cool that yours is organic! It doesn’t seem that’s all that common with U-pick orchards. It looks like you had a lovely time, and the jam sounds fantastic! Here’s to happy accidents!

I’m so happy that we stumbled across it, and it was the only organic one I found near us. It was my first time picking since I was a kid (and back then, I did *not* appreciate it). Now I hope to make it a tradition. Happy accidents, indeed!

It looks great! I’m from Argentina and I want to try this reciep but I’m not sure of what “1 15-oz. can crushed pineapple in juice” means! DO I need pineapples or its’ juice? Thanks for this blog I’m loving it :)

[…] Pear Honey Jam. About this time a year ago, we were picking pears at an organic farm. When I returned home I accidentally overcooked the bee-free pear honey I was attempting to make; but like the first ever batch of ganache, it was far from a loss! I ended up with pear honey jam and I think I get way more use out of the jam than I would the honey. […]

Welcome! I’m Bobbie and The Vegan Crew is where I share my experiences, discoveries and useful tips (mostly in the form of recipes) to help make veganism more accessible and to demonstrate just how joyful and delicious living compassionately can be. [more…]